Retaining therapy radiographers: What’s so special about us?

2007 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heidi Probst ◽  
Sue Griffiths

AbstractHigh therapist vacancy rates and an unsatisfied workforce reduce the opportunity to meet waiting time targets or maintain high standards of care. Current vacancy rates may conceal true staff shortages because of financial pressures. Levels of job satisfaction among the therapy radiographer workforce are presently unknown. A multi-phase study to investigate job satisfaction of therapy radiographers in the United Kingdom is under way. Phase I was an interpretive grounded theory study and, as interviews progressed, a review of the literature on job satisfaction was warranted (in line with the principles of grounded theory). The purpose of this article is to evaluate the literature on job satisfaction as a way to inform the development of retention strategies within the radiotherapy profession. The discussion is focused under the following three themes identified from our phase I study: job design, leadership and organisational governance, stress and burnout. A number of models within the wider literature can inform retention strategies for radiotherapy managers. In particular, the job characteristics model and the model for job-specific well-being adequately identify factors that are relevant to the work of a therapy radiographer. Ensuring mental challenge through job design and continuing professional development opportunities is vital to retaining staff. Support from immediate managers is also a crucial aspect of workers development of intentions to leave. Manager support can moderate experiences of job stress, limiting job dissatisfaction and reducing leaving intentions. Stress and burnout have been cited as significant in reducing job satisfaction in health workers. In the United States, high levels of emotional exhaustion among radiation therapists highlight the potential for the development of burnout within the UK therapy workforce. The discussion looks at the importance of these characteristics within a general retention strategy and recommends future areas of study.

2005 ◽  
Vol 51 (3) ◽  
pp. 468-487 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy A. Judge ◽  
Timothy D. Chandler

Employee shirking, where workers give less than full effort on the job, has typically been investigated as a construct subject to organization-level influences. Neglected are individual differences that could explain why employees in the same organization or work-group might shirk. Using a sample of workers from the health care profession in the United States, the present study sought to address these limitations by investigating subjective well-being (a dispositional construct), job satisfaction, as well as other indiuidual-level determinants of shirking. Results indicate that whites shirk significantly more than nonwhites, and that subjective well-being, job satisfaction, and age have significant, negative effects on shirking. The implications of these results are discussed.


Author(s):  
Manali I. Patel ◽  
Sana Khateeb ◽  
Tumaini Coker

Introduction: Advance care planning and symptom screening among patients with cancer require team-based approaches to ensure that these services are equitably and appropriately delivered. In several organizations across the United States, we trained and employed lay health workers (LHWs) to assist with delivering these services for patients with cancer. The aim of this study was to understand LHWs’ views on delivering these services. Methods: We conducted semi-structured interviews with 22 LHWs in 6 US-based clinical cancer care settings in 4 large cities. We recorded, transcribed, and analyzed interviews using the constant comparative method of qualitative analysis. Results: Participants noted the importance of their role in assisting with the delivery of advance care planning (ACP) and symptom screening services. Participants noted the importance of developing relationships with patients to engage openly in ACP and symptom screening discussions. Participants reported that ongoing training provided skills and empowered them to discuss sensitive issues with patients and their caregivers. Participants described challenges in their roles including communication with oncology providers and their own emotional well-being. Participants identified solutions to these challenges including formal opportunities for introduction with oncology clinicians and staff and grievance sessions with LHWs and other team members. Discussion: LHWs from several organizations endorsed the importance of their roles in ensuring the delivery of ACP and proactive symptom screening. LHWs noted challenges and specific solutions to improve their effectiveness in delivering these important services to patients after their diagnosis of cancer.


AERA Open ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 233285841875773 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daryl Dugas ◽  
Kelly H. Summers ◽  
Lindsay N. Harris ◽  
Amy E. Stich

Faculty ( N = 156) at regional public universities (RPUs) in the United States were surveyed for self-reports of their primary academic identity (teacher, researcher) along with alignment of that identity with perceived departmental expectations and how their time is spent. Well-being and job satisfaction were examined as outcome measures of identity and alignment. The results are examined in the context of international concerns about neoliberalism in higher education, particularly with respect to academic identity. Participants were employed by RPUs in Illinois, a state with severe budget challenges, to assess the combined impact of neoliberalism and financial pressures on academic identity at traditionally teaching-focused institutions. Results of MANCOVA and MANOVA analyses suggested that participants who identify as teachers had greater overall well-being and job satisfaction than those who identified as researchers. Greater satisfaction was associated with alignment between identity and how time is spent. Implications and challenges to faculty work and strains on academic identity at RPUs are discussed.


2015 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 374-394 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vincenza Capone ◽  
Giovanna Petrillo

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the structure, reliability, construct validity, and group invariance of the Italian version of the Bohn Organizational Efficacy Scale (OES), a self-report questionnaire for organizational efficacy assessment in the business context. Design/methodology/approach – The first study included Italian employees of a pasta factory (n=120) to test divergent, convergent, and discriminant validity of the OES with existing instruments. The second study combined three hospital (n=180 Italian health workers) to confirm the structure of the scale. Findings – Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses confirmed the three-factor solution (collaboration, sense of mission and future, and sense of resilience), and that the structure of the scale was the same across employees of hospital and pasta factory. Results revealed a high internal reliability. The OES correlated positively with corresponding aspects of organizational functioning, well-being, and job satisfaction. The scale did not correlate with measures of general self-efficacy and personal empowerment. Levels of job satisfaction and well-being resulted higher among people with moderate/high organizational efficacy than among adults with low organizational efficacy. Research limitations/implications – Because of the chosen research approach could lead to common method variance issues: it will be important to determine the associations of OES with non-self-report assessments of the same construct. Practical implications – The OES can be applied optimally in the empirical study of factors influencing organizational setting and used in training aiming at strengthening employees’ collective skills. Originality/value – The OES is a valid instrument to measure organizational efficacy. Findings highlighted a strong relationship between collective efficacy, job satisfaction and well-being.


2021 ◽  
pp. 152483992110333
Author(s):  
Jamie E. Bloss ◽  
Catherine E. LePrevost ◽  
Abdul G. Zahra ◽  
Gina C. Firnhaber ◽  
Leslie E. Cofie ◽  
...  

There are profound health inequities for agricultural workers. We sought to assess the literature on migrant and seasonal farmworker health with an eye toward health promotion interventions, special populations, use of community health workers (CHWs), and technology. We conducted a systematic mapping review by searching five databases in March 2021. Using quantitative content analysis after establishing interrater reliability, we coded titles and abstracts to assess 13 topics and six characteristics of the research such as its focus on health promotion, use of technology, and inclusion of CHWs. We identified 1,083 records. Just 8.2% of records described or evaluated a health promotion effort to intervene in farmworker well-being and even fewer (4.2%) examined unique populations of farmworkers such as indigenous farmworkers ( n = 11) or sexual minority farmworkers ( n = 1). A small body of literature focused on the role of CHWs or promotores most frequently described their role in implementing health interventions. The literature on farmworker health has gaps regarding health promotion interventions, special populations, and integration of CHWs into research projects. We offer suggestions to fill in identified gaps in the literature.


2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 9-18
Author(s):  
Ryan I. Logan

Community health workers (CHWs) participate in advocacy as a crucial means to empower clients in overcoming health disparities and to improve the health and social well-being of their communities. Building on previous studies, this article proposes a new framework for conceptualising CHW advocacy, depending on the intended impact level of CHW advocacy. CHWs participate in three ‘levels’ of advocacy, the micro, the macro, and the professional. This article also details the challenges they face at each level. As steps are taken to institutionalise these workers throughout the United States and abroad, there is a danger that their participation in advocacy will diminish. As advocacy serves as a primary conduit through which to empower clients, enshrining this role in steps to integrate these workers is essential. Finally, this article provides justification for the impacts of CHWs in addressing the social determinants of health and in helping their communities strive towards health equity.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lori Kogan ◽  
Regina Schoenfeld-Tacher ◽  
Patrick Carney ◽  
Peter Hellyer ◽  
Mark Rishniw

Objective: To assess the impact of on-call duties on veterinarians' job satisfaction, well-being and personal relationships.Design: Cross-sectional survey.Sample: The sample was obtained from Veterinary Information Network (VIN) members in private practice within the United States.Procedures: A link to an anonymous online survey was distributed via an email invitation to all Veterinary Information Network (VIN) members with access from August 15, 2017 to October 21, 2017.Results: A total of 1,945 responses were recorded. The majority of those who reported having on-call duties were female associates. Composite scales were created to assess the impact of on-call shifts on job satisfaction and well-being. Multiple linear regression was conducted and found that gender (p = 0.0311), associate status (p < 0.0001), and age (p = 0.0293) were all significantly associated with on-call related job satisfaction. Additionally, multiple linear regression found that gender (p = 0.0039), associate status (p < 0.0057), and age (p < 0.0001) were all significantly associated with on-call related well-being. On-call shifts were reported by many to have a negative impact on job satisfaction and well-being; this was especially pronounced for female associates. Females had on-call related job satisfaction scores that were, on average, 1.27 points lower than that of males (lower scores equates to lower job satisfaction). Further, females' average on-call related well-being scores were 1.15 points higher than that of males (lower scores equates to higher well-being).Conclusions and Clinical Relevance: This study suggests that on-call shifts have a negative impact on veterinarian job satisfaction, well-being and personal relationships. The negative impact on job satisfaction and well-being is greatest for female associates. Veterinary medicine has been identified as a stressful occupation that can lead to psychological distress. It is therefore important to critically assess current practices that appear to increase stress and reduce emotional well-being. For this reason, it is suggested that veterinary hospitals explore alternative options to traditional on-call shifts.


Author(s):  
Sofia Gruskin ◽  
Paula Braveman

Violation or neglect of human rights jeopardizes health by interfering with physical, mental, and social well-being. This chapter considers the relevance of human rights to public health as legal standards and obligations of governments, as a conceptual framework of analysis and advocacy, and as guiding principles for designing and implementing policies and programs. It recommends institutionalizing perspectives on social justice and human rights in all health-sector actions, monitoring implications of policies in all sectors that affect health, and building public consensus for equitable financing of healthcare. The authors assert that human rights principles provide a framework that can guide health workers and others in achieving social justice in health and that health workers should be aware that human rights norms, standards, laws, and accountability mechanisms are relevant tools to help achieve social justice in health. A text box focuses on promoting the rights of “undocumented immigrants” in the United States.


2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 85
Author(s):  
Midori Matsushima ◽  
Hiroyuki Yamada ◽  
Yasuharu Shimamura ◽  
Nguyen Minh Tam

To achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly to promote healthy living and well-being for all ages, we must ensure a high quality of healthcare services at primary facilities. However, the shortage of healthcare workers in primary facilities is a problem in many countries, including Vietnam. Despite concerns about the low job satisfaction of health workers and value of altruism in this field, no existing research has thus far addressed its effect on job satisfaction. This study thus contributes to the body of knowledge on healthcare workers’ job satisfaction by observing the role of altruism.We conducted a quantitative analysis by using data collected from healthcare workers employed at primary facilities in central Vietnam in 2014. The survey administered to healthcare workers (n=241) included a hypothetical dictator game questionnaire to elicit their level of altruism. We then used an ordered probit model to examine the factors associated with healthcare workers’ job satisfaction, focusing particularly on altruism by controlling for both individual-level attributes and the condition of their workplaces.We found that a higher level of altruism is associated with lower job satisfaction. Further analysis revealed that more altruistic workers are also likely to have a stricter self-evaluation of healthcare quality, including the availability of drugs. Altruistic healthcare workers may be frustrated when working in environments in which resources are constrained and workers cannot perform to their full ability despite a wish to help others.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document